By: Brett O’Daniell
Nearly twenty years ago, Trish and Paul Dinkins brought their children to what was then the New Town Organic Farm. Residents tended rented garden plots, families visited the animals, and Trish began imagining what the property could become. After years of living nearby and spending time there, those possibilities stayed with her.
Today, Trish owns and operates Shire Lane Estate, and the property she admired for so long is beginning a new chapter as a destination for weddings, celebrations and community gatherings.
The wedding business was not the original dream. It became the way to preserve the land, improve the buildings and allow others to experience the property. Trish’s goal is not simply to host another event where guests arrive, celebrate and immediately leave.
She wants people to slow down.
“How do we create an atmosphere where people get to hang out, relax and have an experience around their wedding,” she asks, “instead of just a four-hour time block where you have to rush in and rush out?”
That question now guides the vision for Shire Lane Estate. The estate is being designed around a Thursday-through-Sunday wedding weekend, giving couples and their closest friends and family time to settle in before the ceremony and remain together afterward.
The wedding party can arrive at the Shire Lane Guest House on Thursday, unload, gather in the kitchen and begin the weekend with a relaxed meal. Friday can include decorating, photographs, a rehearsal and a welcome dinner. By Saturday morning, many of the major preparations are already complete, allowing the couple to focus less on logistics and more on the people around them.
After the reception, there is no immediate hotel checkout or hurried goodbye. Sunday can include coffee, brunch and one final gathering before everyone heads home.
“It’s really about being that holistic place for all of the celebrations that can happen,” Trish says.
The result is the feeling of a destination wedding without requiring families to travel across the country. The estate feels secluded, yet it remains close to St. Charles and the greater St. Louis area. Guests can also explore New Town’s restaurants, shops and gathering places throughout the weekend.
Jessica Weiterman and John Flavan, who celebrated their wedding at Shire Lane Estate this summer, said the property's setting made it stand out. “The landscaping and scenery made it feel like we were in the middle of nowhere, even though we were close to home,” Jessica said. “It felt like ours for the day.”
Kacey Kuba and Kenny Alca were drawn to the estate for different reasons. “It was super cute and had so much charm,” Kacey said. “I loved the hippo fountain, the lights in the barn and the greenery everywhere. There were so many beautiful places for photos.”
The appeal of Shire Lane Estate comes not from one ballroom or one ceremony location, but from the way its many spaces work together.
Most ceremonies take place in the amphitheater, where the trellis creates a natural backdrop for the wedding party. Koi ponds, a connecting creek, whimsical fountains, lily pads, mature trees, and surrounding landscaping create a tranquil setting, while the amphitheater provides room for both the ceremony and additional guest seating.
Nearby, the Event Hall offers a bright, climate-controlled setting with white walls, updated lighting and a permanent bar. It comfortably seats approximately 80 to 90 guests.
The adjacent event tent functions as an extension of the hall, providing seating for an additional 150 to 200 people. Together, the two spaces create an easy indoor-outdoor flow for dinner, conversation and dancing. Guests can move between the hall and tent without feeling separated from the larger celebration.
For a smaller or more intimate setting, the Glass Greenhouse may be the estate’s most elegant space. Filled with natural light, it has been staged in recent photographs as a refined ceremony setting while still retaining the character of the farm.
The Glass Greenhouse is distinct from the property’s much larger greenhouse, which appears prominently in many exterior views of the estate. That larger structure remains part of the long-term vision and is not yet ready for active event use.
Perhaps the most intriguing space on the property is the Working Barn.
Its interior has been completely cleaned and power-washed, revealing the original cedar structure and a dramatic hayloft. The building remains unfinished, and that is exactly what makes it so flexible. Visitors can see the framing, appreciate the scale and even smell the cedar when they step inside.
For the recent photography session, the Working Barn was arranged for a cocktail hour, but Trish does not want to define it too narrowly. It could become a welcome-party location, a rehearsal dinner setting, a quiet lounge away from the dance floor, a rustic reception space or a backdrop for photographs. Its unfinished character gives couples the freedom to imagine something personal rather than work around a predetermined layout.
“The sky’s the limit,” Trish says. “It’s a space that you can use however you want.”
The estate’s 120-year-old historic barn adds another layer of character as it is the oldest surviving structure in New Town. While it is best suited as a backdrop rather than an active event space, its weathered exterior has become one of the property’s most recognizable visual features and a natural setting for wedding photographs.
At the center of the destination experience is the Shire Lane Guest House.
The home has received fresh paint, new carpet, updated lighting, new furniture and refreshed décor. Trish describes its style as “mid-century modern farmhouse”—comfortable and welcoming without feeling overly themed.
With room for more than 10 overnight guests, the house gives the wedding party a shared home base. Its large kitchen, bar seating, living room and fireplace provide multiple places to gather, while the expansive garden and patio offer additional options for gatherings, photographs or quiet moments outdoors. When the estate is not reserved for a wedding or private event, the house can also be booked independently.
Ample parking has been added to improve access for guests and vendors while reducing pressure on nearby streets. The layout allows wedding parties, caterers, photographers and other vendors to move between the estate’s spaces without disrupting the guest experience.
While the estate first captures couples with its beauty, Trish's personal approach is often what convinces them they've found the right place. Jessica said the property drew her and John to Shire Lane Estate, but Trish's involvement ultimately gave them the confidence to reserve it.
"I was overwhelmed with a lot of the decision making, and she really made me feel confident because of her excitement and passion," Jessica said. "Her enthusiasm made it so fun for me."
Kacey shared a similar experience. "Trish was fantastic and super accommodating," she said. "Everybody at the wedding was losing their minds at how beautiful everything was, and we had the most fun ever."
That personal approach is central to how Trish and Community Manager Jeannie Crosby work with couples. Rather than offering one fixed wedding-day formula, they help each couple consider how the property’s spaces can support their own celebration.
A cocktail hour might take place in the Glass Greenhouse while the wedding party takes photographs. A welcome dinner could happen at the Guest House, inside the Event Hall or outdoors. A Sunday brunch can bring everyone back together before departure.
The spaces provide options. The weekend gives couples time to enjoy them.
The long-term vision for Shire Lane Estate extends well beyond weddings.
Trish hopes the success of the venue will allow the property to evolve again into a small working farm and a broader community destination. Her ideas include returning animals to the grounds, restoring the former garden plots so residents can use them again, planting Missouri wildflowers, supporting monarch butterflies and creating walking paths where visitors can learn about native plants and conservation.
She also hopes the estate can continue hosting concerts, educational programs and community events. “The wedding venue is a means to create an anchor—a place of community for the neighborhood,” she says. “I really want this to be more than just a wedding venue.”
The improvements taking place across the property are visible: updated buildings, restored spaces, refreshed landscaping and new possibilities around nearly every corner.
But the larger goal is not simply to fill a calendar. It is to preserve the spirit of a place Trish admired for nearly two decades—and to give families enough time to truly enjoy it.
Learn more at: https://www.shirelaneestate.com